Science News

Uk About To Approve First Commercial Gm Crops

Love them or hate them, GM crops look set to stay and farmers could be planting the UK’s first commercial GM crops this spring. That’s if the government accepts the recommendation of ACRE – that’s the Advisory Committee on Releases to the Environment – to allow planting of weedkiller-resistant GM Maize. In giving the go-ahead to GM Maize (sweetcorn) ACRE looked at the results of farm-trials which have been carried out over the last 4 years involving a number of different GM crops. ACRE say that whilst GM Maize gets the thumbs up, some other modified plants like oilseed rape and beet will not be planted soon because the recent farm trials showed that they could harm wildlife.

18th Jan 2004